Seminar advises planning for old age

“Planning for change as we age” was the subject of an interactive seminar facilitated by Golden Bay U3A (University of the Third Age) recently.

Chaired by retired GP Jocelyn Tracey, supported by health professionals Alexia Russell, Rhoda McDonald, and Helen Kingston, the discussion focused mainly on housing choices and support services.

Jocelyn explained how staying at home becomes increasingly harder as we age, but “good friends, a great community, a great neighbourhood, and a bit of home help” can help maintain independent living. Grocery deliveries and Meals on Wheels are available, but qualifying for a community services card for funded home help is dependent on income and savings, unless all you have is superannuation. Otherwise, it may be time to call on “rainy day” savings.

This is a time of difficult decisions: when to downsize, how to cope after losing your partner, your license, or becoming disabled. If your disability is the result of an accident, ACC will fund a support package, depending on available providers and staff.

It is estimated that 75 per cent of us will be dying in our own homes. Former Golden Bay Community Hospital nurse manager, Alexia Russell, outlined the benefits of living at home for as long as possible.

When home help is needed, a health professional may refer their patient to Nelson-based Needs Assessment Services Coordination (NASC) to allocate a support package and choose a provider agency such as Nurse Maude or Access Home Health.

The Golden Bay Community Health (GBCH) occupational therapy department assists with mobility equipment. Many other support networks such as Alzheimer’s NZ, Age Concern, Falls Prevention, and Stroke Foundation offer extensive resources.

“Unfortunately, we’re all getting older and we’re all going to die,” said Rhoda McDonald, former service director at Golden Bay Community Hospital. Rhoda strongly advises making an “advanced care plan”, which may include other options than assisted living at home, from care homes to retirement villages. (Most local services stock the advanced care booklet.)

Abbeyfield in Golden Bay provides excellent independent group living with meals provided, but there are limited places available.

Retirement villages offer different accommodation options, with support when needed. New friendships, activities, and outings are definite benefits, but cost is an issue.

“It’s a lifestyle option, not an investment,” explained Rhoda, “You only purchase the right to occupy. You get back what you purchased for, minus 20 per cent to 30 per cent.”

Residential care homes provide 24/7 care, determined by needs assessment, whether at rest home level, hospital level, or dementia care level. There are various types of care homes and care rooms, priced accordingly from standard (at around $174 per day) to premium and care suites. There is no free residential care in New Zealand, but there are means-tested Work and Income (WINZ) subsidies if your assets are less than around $250,000. Superannuation gets diverted to fund your care.

The Golden Bay palliative care team supports people choosing to die at home, with scheduled visits, an on-call service, and if needed, a hospital bed at GBCH. They can also help plan and discuss goals and hopes and offer practical advice.

The overriding message at the seminar was to plan ahead, “sort your stuff” earlier rather than later, and be prepared to downsize and move if necessary.

At the end of the day, or at the end of life, it is about finding local resources to make the difference. Friends, neighbours, and family, sharing and supporting each other with company, meals, and car-pooling, and advocating on behalf to connect to available services and help make difficult decisions.

Alexia described elders as the pillars of the community. “As older people, we have an honourable place.”

For more on U3A, visit https://u3agoldenbaymohua.org.nz/.

Many New Zealanders are unhappy with the governing political Parties and many of their policies. What happened at the last elections? 225,000 Kiwis did not believe the major parties would represent their voice and gave their vote to one of the minor parties, however with MMP unless a party wins 5% of the party vote or an electorate seat that party will not win any seats in Parliament and the small party votes are lost. A further 1 million Kiwis did not even vote! So which actions can we take?

UNITE the FREEDOM PARTIES and GROUPS

so that we have a voice in Parliament. Unless we unite we won’t stand much of a chance! We are forming an independent Umbrella Party:

Democratic Alliance

with the aim to unite minority parties, Freedom groups and organisations.

DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: The images* are examples of what it could look like: Political Parties and Freedom groups in New Zealand associating themselves for the greater good and joining forces to have a political voice, participating in policy development and offering experts on the party list as Members of Parliament. Two parties are currently in the process of joining, 4 more are in negotiations.

(*Please note the Groups are currently not confirmed to be an affiliate of the Democratic Alliance! It is an invitation at this stage.)

We are nearly there ... Only 84 more members of

Membership only $1 | You can be a member of

Results And Fixtures

GOLF 26 April. Stableford: D Win 37, J Garner 35, R Young 34. Closest to pin: 3/12 R Young, 4/13 R Tait, 8/17 R Dyce, 9/18 D Win. Twos: D Win. Twos 7/16: R Heuvel, R Young.

29 April. Match Play - Club Champs: M Dixon bt G Ryan 2 up, T Polglase bt G Allen 1 up, R Miller bt R Heuvel 5/4. Stableford: J Garner 38, W Rothwell 38, C Hadler 36.

Closest to pin: 3/12 R Dyce, 4/13 W Collie, 8/17 G Rowe, 9/18 W Rothwell. Twos: R Dyce. Best gross: W Collie 80.

BRIDGE

26 April. Ōnekakā Pairs Session 2: N/S: L Roberts/J Pemberton 53.40%; J Cooper/

A Foreman 53.05%; P Nelson/J Edmondson 51.65%; E/W: P Panzeri/H Curtis 56.25%;

P Smith/B Burdett 55.30%; D Sarll/K Van Der Struys 49.65%. H/cap: N/S: A Bradnock/J Hannon 56.65%; J Cooper/ A Foreman 53.55%; L Roberts/J Pemberton 51.40%; E/W: S Douglas/L Bradley 57.65%; P Smith/B Burdett 55.05%; P Panzeri/H Curtis 53.50%. 28 April. Relaxed Session 4: H Curtis 59.09%; A Foreman 57.95; D Sarll 53.41%. H/cap: A Foreman 57.95; H Curtis 55.09%; D Sarll 53.41%.

BOWLS

Mens Club Champ winners: Singles, George McGeady; Pairs, Reuben Marshall and Ken Scott; Triples, Murray Marshall, John Hills, Ray Templeton; Fours, Reuben Marshall, Garth Prince, Ken Scott, Murray Mackay; Junior Singles, Reuben Marshall; Junior Pairs, Garth Prince, Steve McLean; Most improved Player, Garth Prince. There were no women’s club champs played.

We are in need of more women players for next year. Anyone interested, beginners or otherwise, can contact the club on 022 372 8720. We will be starting the new season in September.

FOOTBALL

29 April. Senior and youth. Men’s Division 2: GB Mountain Goats 6, FC Nelson Chin United 2. Men’s Masters: Nelson Suburbs FC 3, GB Stingrays 0. Women’s Premiership: Motueka AFC Angels 0 GB Shield Maidens 3. 15-17 Grade - Blue: GB Gladiators 10, Nelson Suburbs FC Rangers 1; Nelson Suburbs FC Panthers 16, GB Panthers 0. 13-14

Grade - Red: GB Pumas 1, Nelson Suburbs FC Academy 11. 13-14 Grade - Maroon: Nelson Suburbs FC Eagles 8, GB Wahine Toa 0.

10:30am GB Eagles v Motueka AFC Tigers

The football season began for junior and youth football last Saturday with the first fixtures in the Nelson Bays competition. But before any of those games kicked off the Bay’s youngest footballers enjoyed “Little Kicks” sessions at Collingwood and Tākaka.

The senior competition is already well underway and the third round of matches saw all three of the Bay’s sides in action on Saturday. The men’s first XI, the Mountain Goats, who were playing at home for the first time this season, put their mid-week exit from the Chatham Cup behind them and recorded an impressive 4-2 win against a very lively FC Nelson Chin United in a division two clash. With three wins from three, the Goats sit second in the table in what is a highly competitive division.

In the Men’s Master’s division, GB Stingrays, playing away from home, suffered defeat, at the hands, or rather feet, of Nelson Suburbs, which leaves the Bay side mid-table.

The Women’s first XI the Shield Maidens continued their solid start to the season overcoming Motueka AFC Angels at Memorial

Park scoring three goals and keeping a clean sheet. The win leaves the Maidens fourth with only goal difference putting them below Richmond Foxes and Nelson Suburbs FC Reserves.

For more results, see left-hand column.

Rugby Season Kicks Off

10:30am GB Wahine Toa v Nelson Suburbs FC Steamers

10:30am GB Wekas v Richmond Avengers

10:45am GB Panthers v FC Nelson Development

3:00pm GB Stingrays v FC Nelson Masters

Home Games @ Rec Centre Away Games

10:30am GB Pumas v Nelson Suburbs FC Storm Ngawhatu Rec YM2

10:30am GB Mini Maidens v Nelson Sububs FC Kings Saxton Fields I3

10:45am GB v Nelson Suburbs FC Panthers Saxton Fields S5

1:00pm GB Mountain Goats v FC Nelson Loco Steamers Neale Park S2

Byes: Golden Bay Shield Maidens, Golden Bay Aorere

Golden girls in Kahurangi XV

newly formed womens XV based in Motueka. Back row, from left, Chloe Dixon, Kayla Harvey, Holly Rillstone, Jarrah Solly and Sheree Peters. Front row, from left, Kate McCashin, Rachel Nalder, Maddy Holland and Kerah Lusty. Photo: Courtney Lines.

Continued from page 1

...occasions as early season ball-handling was, perhaps, a little rusty.

For the first 20 minutes or so, both teams created scoring opportunities but it wasn’t until well past the half-hour mark that the deadlock was broken when Stoke registered the first try and conversion of the match to take a seven point lead into the break.

Early in the second half Tākaka clawed back three points with a successful penalty kick by Scott McKinley, but Stoke extended their lead to 3-14 six minutes later with a try and conversion. Now the momentum was with the visitors and they sought to capitalise through a wave of attacks. But it was the home side who scored next after Stoke’s clearing kick was charged down and the ball carried over the line by Riley Oakden to close the gap to six points and lift the home supporters who sensed a come-back.

In the next few minutes Tākaka carved out two chances, but a strong tackle and a misplaced pass saw the highly promising moves break down. Having thwarted the Tākaka attacks, the ruthless opponents showed no mercy, scoring two tries and a conversion in the final five minutes to secure a hard-won victory.

Final score 8-26.

Speaking to The GB Weekly moments after the final whistle, Stoke player-coach Chris Little acknowledged the high-intensity evident throughout the match. “It was a tough game, a battle of attrition. Tākaka came out firing. We went away from our structure but found it from time to time when it mattered. Credit to Tākaka, they are a great young side.”

Tākaka coach Hamish Hills said the margins were fine and the occasional lapse had proven very costly. “I’m really proud of the guys, they were 98, 99 per cent perfect… but we have to do the fundamentals right and we can’t afford to make errors against a great team. In a five-minute lapse we gave away 14 points. We need to work on our discipline – small areas, the simple things that let us down.”

Tomorrow both Golden Bay’s senior teams continue their campaign with Collingwood playing Nelson RFC at Trafalgar Park, while Tākaka host Marist at Tākaka Rec Park.